#WT20: Kolkata Police to put Indo-Pak match under 'foolproof' security layer

The city did never witness such tight security arrangements before in Bengal's only international cricket stadium Eden Gardens police officials claimed.

 

Special Additional and Joint Commissioner of Kolkata Police (Hdq) Supratim Sarkar told IBNS: "Kolkata Police are taking 'zero' risks with the India-Pakistan cricket match in Eden Gardens, which will be held on Saturday. As many as 21 Deputy Commissioners (DCP), 44 Assistant Commissioners (AC), all 9 joint commissioners (JCP), 3 Additional Commissioners (ADCP), 130 Inspectors, 414 Sub-Inspectors (SI), 375 Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI) and 2200 constables along with women cops will be deployed in and outside the Eden Gardens."

 

"Special Commissioner of Kolkata Police-II, Jayanta Basu will lead the high-level security arrangements. Police will conduct surveillance from 9 watching towers. Three Quick Response Teams (QRT) will be ready there. We will set up 11 sandbank bunkers and 5 bulletproof morchas (post) outside the ground. At least seven ambulances and five police assistant booths will be available there," Sarkar said.

 

"Drone will be put to use for aerial surveillance from Saturday morning. Three interception teams will be placed at several points on line of the teams' route from hotel to Eden. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) and special commando teams will be ready inside the ground at several strategic locations for immediate intervention," Supratim Sarkar added.  

 

When he was asked about the spectators' entry into the ground, the senior IPS official said, "We have decided to open Eden's gates three hours prior to the match (4:30 pm.) to avoid rush and our special teams will be there to catch black marketing of tickets. Spectators have to cross three-tier security checks to enter into the ground. Mounted police will be there as well, outside the ground, to avoid any mess due to tickets."

 

Meanwhile, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) officials said that their programmes will be started one hour prior to the main match.

 

One CAB official told IBNS, "We will start our programmes from 6:30 that day, one hour prior to the cricket match. CAB will felicitate seven former cricketers of India and Pakistan, including, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Sunil Gavaskar, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Imran Khan and Inzamam-Ul-Haq on Saturday."

 

"Personalities from several fields including superstar Amitabh Bachchan, former Australian skipper Steve Waugh, businessman Mukesh Ambani and Pak singer Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan will be present in the Eden Gardens here. Our honourable chief minister Mamata Banerjee would also join the event here," he further said.

 

Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit on Friday arrived Kolkata to watch the mega match here on Saturday.

 

While entering the city, Basit told the media here in Kolkata airport: "I will be very happy if India plays against Pakistan in the World T20 final."

 

The mega fight, which was scheduled to be held in Himachal Pradesh's Dharamshala, has been shifted to Eden Gardens in Kolkata over security concern.  

 

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)